Roughly one-third of food produced is wasted, both globally and in the United States, contributing to the growing crisis of climate change, environmental degradation, and loss of biological diversity while the number of people facing food insecurity rises. Reducing food waste is a key step individuals can take to not only save money but also shrink their environmental footprint.
EcoAction Arlington’s Food Waste Reduction Campaign offers tips and inspirations to make progress within our community.
written by Molly Bolan
Food waste plays a significant role in climate change. According to the EPA, approximately one-third of food produced is never eaten contributing to the climate crisis as food decomposes in landfills and elsewhere. The land, water, and fertilizers used to produce that food goes to waste as well, exacerbating environmental degradation. Making the most of food by shopping smarter is a key step to not only save money, but to shrink your environmental footprint.
There are actions you can take to reduce how much food you’re tossing in the trash or compost – and save a few bucks in the process.
The first steps come before you even set foot in a grocery store.
Plan your week and take stock
It’s a common enough experience: You come home from the farmer’s market with a dozen eggs only to realize there’s already a hardly-touched carton in the fridge.
Or after a fun week of dining out with friends, all the produce you bought last week is – rather un-appetizingly, wilting away.
Or you’re standing in the produce aisle thinking, I can definitely eat this whole bundle of kale on my own this week, forgetting that you were sick of kale within three hours the last time you bought it.
Pro tip: Kale freezes well so you can also easily keep it for another time.
We find ourselves in these situations often as a result of skipping the key steps that come before grocery shopping. One of the best ways to reduce food waste is to plan out meals for the week and take stock of what you already have in your fridge, cupboards, and pantry. As you make your shopping list, include the quantities you need of each product to avoid over-buying.
You can stretch your dollar even further (and avoid a trip to the store) by first shopping your fridge and pantry for meals that use what you already have, whether leftovers or random ingredients. Try the MyFridgeFood app for recipes based on what you already have or check out Toby’s Family Foods for other tips and recipe ideas.
Also note how often you’ll be dining out or ordering takeout. Whether you’re meeting friends for dinner or grabbing lunch with coworkers, try to plan for these outings in advance so you don’t buy more food at the grocery store than you can consume. And if you go out to eat last minute, consider bringing along a reusable silicone “baggie” to take leftovers home (if they don’t present a food safety risk*).
Pro Tip: If you’re looking for takeout, consider an app like Too Good to Go that allows you to buy discounted food that restaurants would otherwise throw out at closing time.
If you’ve often felt overwhelmed by meal planning, you’re not alone. Luckily, in this age of the internet, there are a lot of creative and brilliant tools to help you figure out what and how much to buy. Here’s a helpful template you can use to plan your meals and make your list. If you’re more digitally inclined, there are also plenty of apps out there that serve the same purpose.
Another great resource called SaveTheFood.com – a public education campaign from the Natural Resources Defense Council – has an interactive tool that allows you to make multiple meals from the same ingredients and calculate the quantities you need to buy for your household.
A shopping list is only good if you use it. Keep your list in a place where you’ll definitely remember to bring it grocery shopping, like on your phone or tucked behind a favorite magnet on the fridge.
Shop in season
It’s pretty cool to live in a time when you can pick up just about any kind of produce at any time of year at most supermarkets, but it’s best to buy fruits and veggies that are in season. Produce not only tastes best when it’s in season, but because it doesn’t have as far to travel, it will likely stay fresh longer once you bring it home.
Not sure what’s in season? The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has a great chart.
You’ll often find the best produce at local farmers’ markets. Arlington has a whole host of great markets in neighborhoods throughout the county, and many accept EBT. Check out the full map here.
Pro Tip: After buying all that great seasonal produce you’ll want to store it properly to maximize shelf life and minimize waste. Find out how in this article from Food Insight.
Produce doesn’t have to be pretty
Americans have high cosmetic standards for produce. More than 20 billion pounds of produce is wasted each year because it doesn’t look the way consumers want it to. But blemished, misshapen produce is just as good as (and sometimes tastier than) the picture-perfect kind. Why not be the bigger person and show some love for the imperfect fruits and vegetables?
It’s also better to opt for loose produce rather than the kind that comes pre-wrapped in plastic or netting. Except for a few items that keep longer in their original packaging (think berries), more often than not the plastic itself isn’t necessary, plus it’s easier to monitor the quality of unpackaged food.
Let’s take a moment to acknowledge that fresh produce can be a lot of work and, in some cases, expensive. Washing and chopping can take up time that not everyone has. Don’t try to fit your life around fresh produce if that doesn’t work for you. Frozen, dried, and canned goods typically offer as much nutrition as their fresh counterparts. Plus, if you’re having the kind of week that makes sticking to a meal plan difficult, they’ll keep in the cupboard or freezer for a long time, and their extended shelf life helps you reduce waste.
Want more? Here’s a video featuring Kathryn Kellogg, founder of GoingZeroWaste.com, on her grocery shopping habits.
* Reusable silicone bags can be a safe option for taking leftovers home if it’s designated food-grade and used properly:
- Check for food-grade designation — Look for a food-grade label on the packaging or website, or an FDA stamp of approval.
- Wash and dry properly — If the bag is used to carry food or other items, wash and dry it thoroughly before using it again to prevent the spread of germs like E. coli or Salmonella.
- Consider other options — Other ways to store leftovers include glass jars, Pyrex storage, stainless steel, or beeswax wraps.
This content originally appeared The EcoAdvocate newsletter produced by the EcoAction Arlington Advocacy Committee. For more information about the Advocacy Committee, please visit ecoactionarlington.org/get-involved/ecoaction-arlingtondvocacy/
